Adjustable drive clutch for regulating the torque imparted to a driven member



Aug G. s. 'ELGIN 2,606,431'l ADJUSTABLE DRIVE CLUTCH FOR EEGULATTNG TEE ToRQuE Filed Aug. 18, 1947 IMPARTED TO A DRIVEN MEMBER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Inventor y Attomqys Gustavus 5. Elgin y @am mmf 2,606,431 n' n@ TORQUE Aug. l2, 1952 G. s. ELGIN ADJUSTABLE DRIVE CLUTCH FOR REGULATING IMPARTED TO A DRIVEN MEMBER I3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1947 In L/entnr Gustavus Elgin Patented Aug. 12, 1952 ADJUSTABLE-DRIVE CLUTCH Fon REGU- .LATING THE 'roRQUE nwrArrrEn To A DRIVEN MEMBER d f l Gustavus fs. Elgin, Hickman Mms, Mo.

l I `.I llilrliczaticgn August 18, 1947, Serial No. 769,142

This invention relates to an adjustabledrive clutch and more particularly to a wrench-attachment by means of which the torque applied to anut may be governed. i

In many mechanical operations itis desirable to tighten a nut on a bolt to a .predetermined degree which will assure a tight coupling and at the same time avoid the stripping of the threads of the nut or bolt. In instances where the degree of tightening of the nut is left entirely to the mechanic the human element enters into the operation with the result that when a series of nuts is to be tightened, the degree of tightness may vary over a' wide range, and the lack of uniformity frequently results in stressing certain parts of the work to various degrees.

The primary object of this invention is to insure uniformity of the stress imposed upon the work and prevent the over-tightening of nuts on one part thereof and the under-tightening in other parts.

Another object is to eliminate the lhuman element involved when tightening nuts on bolts and thus to insure uniform stress on al1 parts of the work.

A further object resides in the provision of an attachment for a wrench by which the torque imparted to the wrench by a wrench driving means may be regulated so as to insure uniformity in thertightening of a group of nuts against a piece of work.

The above'and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a group of axially aligned juxtaposed friction disks. alternate disks having driving connection with a driving member, intermediate diskshaving drivingconnection with a driven member, Vyielding means in axial alignment with the disks to urge the disks into frictional contact with one another, and means to regulate the pressure exerted by the yielding` tending axially through the disks, said shaft hav- Y ing driving connection with 'the intermediate disks in said group of disks, astop carried by the housing against which one end of the group of disks bears, a compression coil spring encircling the shaft and bearing at oneend on the groupV of disks," and a cup threaded onto the housingp Gianna (cl. :s4-3o) 'and bearing. onine end of the spring remote from the group of disks, whereby when the cup and housing are rotated relative to one another, the pressure of the spring on the disks will be varied.

Yet another feature of this invention resides in the provision of a diametrically reduced collar on the end of said cup, which collar is receivable in the ribbed portion ofthe housing and engageable with the disks, to positively-urgethe disks into engagement with each other.

In the drawings, y

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a wrench attachment embodying the features of this invention.,

Figure 2 isv a transverse sectionalview taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure I4 is an end view of the attachment showing thedriving shank therefor.

intermediate friction disks. and

Figure 7 is a View illustrating the device in use. l Y f Referring to the drawingsvin detail, a circular cylindrical shell designatedV generally I0: comprises a tubular body IIhaving a dome-shaped end I2 andprovided at its opposite end with a series of internal screw-threads`l3 4the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Formed at radially spaced points on the shell and projecting inwardly from the inner periphery thereof are longitudinally extending ribs I4fand fitted into the shell Abetween the inner ends of the ribs and the' 'end closure I2 is astop I5 carrying a drive shaft I6 which projects outwardly throughthe end I2 of the shell and is adapted to be coupled to any suitable driving mechanism such as the drill chuck I7 of an electric drill I8. The exterior `of the tubular body II is preferably knurled as at I9 (Fig. 7)` and thestop I5 is provided with an axial recess 20 on its inner face for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter explained. Extending axially into the tubular shell II from the threaded end is a driven shaft designated generally 2| which comprises a circular cylindrical portion 22 having at oneend a rectangular extension 23 andat its opposite end a shankll carrying a suitable detent 25 by means of which a wrench socket 26 (Fig. 7) is detachably supported on`the end of the shank. 4

' Threaded into the threaded' end I3 of the shell or tubular body is a cup-shaped end closure 21 having an axial opening 28 in which a bearing bushing 29 is tted. This bearing bushing encircles the circular cylindrical portion of the shaft 22 and serves rotatably to support the shaft with relation to the cap. That portion of the cap 21 which projects beyond the end of the shell or housing I8 is knurled as at 3l)v on. its periphery so that an anti-slip'surface is provided by which the cap may be rotated relative to the shell. The cup-shaped closure 21 has a diametrically reduced collar 39 on its inner end, and an inwardly directed ilange 40 on the innerfend of will occur between the disks 32 and 33 of the group of disks 3|, so that further turning of the nut will be avoided. In this way, the over-tightening of the nut against the work may be avoided and by repeated use of the tool with the same adjustment on a group of nuts, it is obvious that the nuts may be driven home against the work and the pressure exerted by-the .nuts on the work will be uniform throughout.. Obviously, the degree to which the nuts may be tightened can be regulated by turning the cup 21 relative to the shell I I so as to advance or retract it and thereby 'vary th'e pressure ofthe spring 38 against the group yof disks. Whenever it is desired to increase the pressure on the disks, above that which is applicable through the spring 38, it is Surrounding the squared endA 23 vof Atl'ievsl'iaft 2| 7 7 is a group of disks designated generally 3|, alternate disks 32 of which are of greater diameter than the intermediate disks 33 and are .provided with peripheral notches M w'hich'are Vadapted to receive the ribs I4 so as Ito rotate in unison with Vand be driven by the 'shell II.4V These disks 32 are provided with relatively large axial openings 35 to accommodatethe squared portion 23 of the shaft 2| and avoid contact '.therewith. The intermediate disks 33 which are of less diameter than the alternate disks 32 are provided with axial rectangular openings 36 slidably to fit over the squared portion 23 of the shaft 2| and establish driving connection between the alternate disks andthe shaft. As previously explained, the

disks 33 are of lessdiameter than the disks 32 so as to avoid contact with the ribs I4 in the shell II. It will thus be'seen that the disks in the group 3| may move longitudinally within the shell and along the squared portion of the shaft 23, but the alternate disks 32 in the group' have driving connectionwith the shell II while the intermediate disks 33 having driving connection with the shaft, Ajsuitable v'stop screwj31 is threaded on the inner endl of the squared portion 23 of the shaft 2| and is accommodated in the recess formed in the stop I5 previously referred to, the periphery of--the screw 31 being rotatably disposed in the opening inthe disk .32 which abutsthe end of the shell II.

Seatedagainst the end of the cup 21 remote from its threaded endv and 'extending longitudinally therethrough is a compression coil spring 38, one end of'which" bears against the end of the cup 21, while its opposite end bears against the endmost disk of the group of disks 3| remote from the stop I5. It will thus be seen that the disks will be held against one another under'the yielding pressure of the spring 38 and against the stop I5 so that when rotary motion is imparted either to the shank I6 or the shank 24, the opposite shank will be driven through the medium of the contact of the disks 32 and 33 against one another.

In use, the drive shank I6 is introduced into the chuck I1 of any suitable driving device such as the hand drill I8 and by adjusting the cup 21 withrelation to the shell I| the degree of pressure exerted by the spring 38 against the disks in the group 3| may be regulated. With a wrench socket mounted on the end of the. shank 24, it

dium of the clutch disks 3|. I reached a certain degree of tightness on the bolt and against the work, it is obvious that slippage merely necessary totighten the cup-shaped clos- 'ure so that the ange 40 on the collar 39 abuts the disks and compresses them against each other and the end wall of the shell II.

While. in the foregoing there has been shown and described theA preferred embodiment of this invention it vis to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may b e resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. l

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:`

1. An adjustable drive clutch comprising a cylindricalv clutch housing having van internally threaded end portion, a longitudinally extending rib on theinterior of 4said'housing adjacent the end thereof remote from internally threaded end portion, a first' set of notched disks slidably and non-rotatably disposed in the ribbed end of said housing, a cup having an externally threaded end portion threaded into said housing, said cup having an axial bore therein, a shaft rotatably received in said bore and extending into said housing, a second set of clutch disks interposed between the disks of said first set and slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said shaft, an end plate abutting the Vend clutch disc adjacent said cup, spring means disposed about said shaft and terminally abutting said cup and said end plate to yieldingly urge the disks of said first and second sets intov engagement with each other, a diametrically reduced collar on said externally threaded 'endportion of said cup receivable in said ribbed portion of said housing, said cup and said housing being threadedly adjustable relative to each other whereby said collar will engage said end plate to positively urge the disks of said first and second sets into engagement with each other.

"2. An adjustable vdrive clutch comprising a cylindrical'clutchl housing having an end wall, said housing having an internally splined portion adjacent said end .'wall and an internally threaded open end portion, a cup having an externally threaded open end portion threaded into said housing, said cup having an axial bore therethrough, a shaft rotatably received in said bore and having an -externally splined portion extending into said housing, airst set of clutch disks slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said splined portion of said housing, a second set of clutch disks having keyed bores therein interposed between said disks of said rst set and slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said splined portion o f said shaft, one of said disks of said second set abutting said end wall of said housing, each of said disks of said rst set having an axial bore therein rotatably receiving said splined portion of vsaid shaft, an end plate abutting the end clutch disc adjacent said cup, a cap on the end of said splined portion of said shaft and having a perimetric bearing surface, said cap being of a diameter substantially equal to that of the bores in said first set of disks, said cap being rotatable in the bore of said disk of the first set which abuts the end Wall of said housing, spring means disposed about said shaft and engaging said end plate to urge said disks of said first and second sets into engagement with each other.

3 An adjustable drive clutch comprising a cylindrical clutch housing having an end wall, said housing having an internally splined portion adjacent said end Wall and an internally threaded open end portion, a cup having an externally threaded open end portion threaded into said housing, said cup having an axial bore therethrough, a shaft rotatably received in said bore and having an externally splined portion extending into said housing, a first set of clutch disks slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said splined portion of said housing, a second set of clutch disks having keyed bores therein interposed between said disks of said first set and slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said splined portion of said shaft, one of said disks of said second set abutting said end wall of said housing, an end plate abutting the end disc adjacent the threaded end of said housing, each of said disks of said first set having an axial bore therein rotatably receiving said splined portion of said shaft, a cap on the end of said splined portion of said shaft and having a perimetric bearing surface, said cap being of a diameter substantially equal to that of the bores in said first set of disks, said cap being rotatable in the bore in said disk of the first set which abuts the end wall of said housing, spring means disposed about said shaft and engaging said end plate to urge said disks of said first and second sets into engagement with each other, a diametrically reduced collar on said externally threaded end portion of said cup receivable in said internally splined portion of said housing, said cup and housing being threadedly adjustable relative to each other whereby said collar will engage said end plate to positively urge said disks of said first and second sets into engagement with each other.

4. An adjustable drive clutch comprising a cylindrical clutch housing having an end wall, said housing having an internally splined portion adjacent said end Wall and an internally threaded open end portion, a cup having an externally threaded open end portion threaded into said housing, said cup having an axial bore therethrough, a shaft rotatably received in said bore and having an externally splined portion extending into said housing, a rst set of clutch disks slidably and non-rotatably mounted in said splined portion of said housing, a second set of clutch disks having keyed bores therein interposed between said disks of said first set and slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said splined portion of said shaft, one of said disks of said second set abutting said end wall of said housing, each of said disks of said first set having an axial bore therein rotatably receiving said splined portion of said shaft, an end plate abutting the end disk adjacent the threaded end of said housing, a cap on the end of said splined portion of said shaft and having a perimetric bearing surface, said cap being of a diameter substantially equal to that of the bores in said first set of disks, said cap being rotatable in the bore in said disk of the first set which abuts the end wall of said housing, spring means disposed about said shaft and engaging said end plate to urge said disks of said first and second sets into engagement with each other, a diametrically reduced collar on said externally threaded end portion of said cup receivable in said internally splined portion of said housing, said cup and housing being threadedly adjustable relative to each other whereby said collar will engage said end plate to positively urge said disks of said rst and second sets into engagement with each other, said end plate rotatably mounted on said shaft and rotatably received in said splined portion of said housing.

GUS-TAVUS S. ELGIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,503,446` Hedglon July 29, 1924 2,335,574 Thompson et al. Nov. 30, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 193,009 England 1924 

